Comic Book Appreciation & Commentary Blog

May 1, 2019

Marvel Studios / The MCU’s Hawkeye Criticism

Now that Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: ENDGAME has come to slay every box office opening in its wake this past week (a movie experience I thoroughly enjoyed), I am compelled to share a particular criticism that I have had since early in the MCU’s ongoing series of movies.

If there’s but one major criticism I have for the MCU it is the portrayal and characterization, and lets face it, the casting choice of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. I’m good with all the other castings — Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel even won me over after I watched her movie, and I will also confess that in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Benedict Cumberbatch finally won me over as Doc Strange. I’ve been indifferent about James Rhodes aka War Machine’s portrayal by Don Cheadle, but overall, aside from Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, I’m good with everything else.

From what I gathered from some of my fellow geek friends of the Comic Book Underground, I am not an outlier on this. Actually, hate might be too strong an emotion for the MCU’s version of Hawkeye, but I’m not a fan of it. This drastic take on the character makes me wonder: Did the array of characters simply need that brooding character for . . . balance? Perhaps.

Clint Barton in the comics is far more charismatic and has flair (or at least he used to back in the day). The MCU’s Hawkeye is a a bit of wet blanket. But I get it that for the sake of dynamics that maybe, maybe a brooder was needed. However, if that was the case in their thinking, it should not have been Clint Barton fulfilling that role. Perfect for Ronin, yes, but that’s a separate alter ego that comes with an alternate persona. Look, it’s complicated, okay?

It’s also just one fan’s opinion. A mere bag of shells. Don’t @ me or slide into my DMs in defense of the MCU’s Hawkeye, m’kay?